Mounting apparatus



March 12, 19,68 A. KAYA 3,372,895

MOUNTING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 24, 1965 INVENTOR. AZMI KAYA ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,372,895 MOUNTING APPARATUS Azmi Kaya, Minneapolis, Minn., assignor to Honeywell Inc., Minneapolis, Minn., a corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 24, 1965, Ser. No. 509,495 10 Claims. (Cl. 248-27) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLUSURE Thermostat mounting apparatus which includes two members constructed so that one can be used alone with the thermostat to provide insertion mounting of the thermostat, they can be used together in one relationship with the thermostat to provide flush mounting thereof, and they can be used together in another relationship with the thermostat to provide standoff mounting thereof.

The present invention is concerned with an improved mounting means; in particular, a mounting means for a control device having two members or brackets which are used in a certain relationship to provide at least three difierent positions of mounting of the control device.

In thermostatic control devices such as a thermostatic snap switch device, the replacement market is relatively large. When a large size switch device or mounting means is to be replaced by a smaller size switch device or mounting means, an adapter plate is used to cover the larger hole in the panel and the switch is mounted to the plate for the support of the smaller switch. Depending upon how the switch is to be mounted, that is, with the sensing element extended below the surface of the panel, flush with the panel, or standing away from the panel, the prior -art has provided at least three different brackets to provide the three types of mounting.

The present invention provides for three types of mountings of such a switch device. The three types of mountings are provided by a combination of two brackets or members whereby the relationship of the mounting member is changed to provide either an insertion mounting, a fiush mounting, or a standoff mounting of the switch device. The invention is described in the following specification and disclosed in the drawing of which:

FIGURE 1 is a top view of the switch and bracket assembly as mounted on a panel.

FIGURE 2 is a side view of an insertion mounting.

FIGURE 3 is a side view of a flush mounting.

FIGURE 4 is a side view of a standoff mounting.

FIGURE 5 is a top view of one of the brackets used in the mounting shown in FIGURES 1, 3 and 4.

FIGURE 6 is another of the brackets used in the mounting shown in FIGURES 1, 2, 3 and 4; and

FIGURE 7 is a side cross sectional view of the bracket of FIGURE 5.

Referring to FIGURE 1, a switch device 1d of a conventional type having a switch housing or body 11 to which a pair of support members or notched cars 12 and 13 are attached and projecting from opposite sides. The switch device has a projecting portion 14 as shown in FIG URES 2, 3 and 4 projecting downward from the housing 11. Projecting portion 14 contains a temperature sensitive element such as a snap disc to actuate the switch contained in the housing. When the temperature of projecting portion 14 increases above some predetermined value, the snap disc operates the switch which can be connected in an electrical circuit by terminals 16 and 17.

The switch device 10 is to be mountde on a panel which could be the side of a furnace or heater which originally supported a larger switch device or mounting means having a sensing element projecting into the panel through a hole 20. The larger switch device was held in place by screws in oppositely spaced holes 21. Hole or opening 20 for a larger switch device or mounting means might have a diameter of 1 /2 inches, and when a smaller replacement switch device 10 is to be mounted on the panel, the use of a bracket not only covers up the portion of hole 20 but the switch device is mounted in one of three types of mountings insertion, flush, or standoif.

A pair of brackets or members 22 and 23 as shown in FIGURES 5 and 6, respectively, are mounted one on top of the other as an assembly on panel 15 to support the switch as shown in FIGURE 1. By the mounting relationship of members 22 and 23, the three types of mountings of the switch device 10 as shown in FIGURES 2, 3 and 4 can be obtained.

Specifically member 22 as shown in FIGURE 5 has a circular thin shape having two oppositely spaced holes 24 and 26 along the periphery of the member. A center hole or opening in the central raised portion 30 is used for receiving the projecting portion of the temperature sensitive element of the switch. A pair of tabs 31 and 32 oppositely spaced along the periphery of the disc are turned upward at 90 to be received by associated notches in member 23. A pair of openings or slots 33 and 34 oppositely spaced and adjacent the raised central portion 30 receive a pair of tabs 35 and of member 23. A side view of member 22 is shown in FIGURE 7.

Referring to FIGURE 6, member 23 is of a similar circular thin shape as member 22 with two oppositely spaced holes 41 and 42 along the periphery of the member to coincide with holes 26 and 24 of member 22. A pair of notches 43 and 44 oppositely spaced along the periphery of member 23 cooperate with tabs 31 and 32 of member 22. The tabs 35 and 4t oppositely spaced and adjacent a center hole or opening 45 of member 23 cooperate with holes 33 and 34 of member 22. A ridge along the periphery of member 23 provides a spacing between the members for additional thickness when the members are assembled in the manner as shown in FIG- URE 4.

When a switch device such as In is packaged for sale, the package would contain a pair of members such as 22 and 23 which are labeled or marked with indicia B and A, respectively. Upon the removal of a larger switch or mounting means from the panel which would have been held on to the panel by appropriate screws in holes 21 with the sensing element being received in opening 20, a replacement switch is mounted in one of the three positions as shown in FIGURES 2, 3 and 4 depending upon the relationship of one or both of members 22 and 23 as provided in appropriate instructions accompanying the package.

For an insertion mounting as shown in FIGURE 2 in which projecting portion 14 containing the sensing element of switch It) is to extend inward beyond the panel 15, only member 23 is used. The member is held on the surface of panel 15 by appropriate screws 51 and 52 placed in holes 41 and 42 and holes 21 as shown in FIGURE 1. After the switch 10 is placed on the member 23, tabs 35 and 40 are bent over to cooperate with notched cars 12 and 13 to hold the switch in the insertion mounting position. As shown in FIGURE 2, member 23 not only holds switch 10 in position but the large hole 20 in the panel is partially covered so that substantially no air can leak from the inside enclosure through the panel around the switch device 10.

For the flush mounting as shown in FIGURE 3, both members 22 and 23 are used. Member 22 is placed under member 23. The members could be assembled in a rigid manner by bending tabs 31 and 32 after the tabs were received by the respective notches 43 and 44 in bracket 23 before mounting switch 10. This provides mounting of switch 16 to the brackets before they are mounted to the panel. The members could also be placed together and mounted on the panel 15 by screws 51 and 52 to be held together as an assembly without the use of tabs 31 and 32. Switch lid is held in place by tabs 35 and 4%). With switch on the assembly of members 22 and 23 as shown in FIGURE 3, raised portion 30 of member 22 holds the switch upward so projection portion 14 of switch 10 is only extended down to the surface of panel 15 to provide the flush mounting.

When a standoff mounting is desired as shown in FIGURE 4, members 22 and 23 are assembled in the manner shown in FIGURE 4 with member 22 on top of member 23. In this position, tabs 35 and 4d of member 23 project through holes 33 and 34 in member 22 and tabs 31 and 32 of member 22 are of no particular use. Switch 10 is then mounted on the assembly and tabs 35 and 40 are bent over to hold the switch in place. The switch could be mounted on the assembled members either before or after the members were mounted on the panel by the screws 51 and 52. With member 22 on top of member 23 as shown in FIGURE 4, raised portion 58 of member 23 and the thickness of member 23 provides a spacing to hold central raised portion of member 22 higher; so that, when the switch is mounted on the assembly, the projecting portion 14 does not project down to the surface of the panel and thus provides the standoff mounting. Raised portion 50 also provides a biock or seal to prevent air flow between members 22 and 23.

By the combination of members 22 and 23 to provide the flush and standoff mounting as shown in FEGURES 3 and 4, not only are three types of mounting provided with two members, but the opening which would be necessary or the additional expense of providing mounting tabs attached to member 22 is eliminated. With the use of the member 23, there is no need to form tabs on member 22. In addition the holes adjacent tabs and in member 23 are blocked by member 22 to prevent air fiow from the space on the other side of panel 15.

I claim:

1. Mounting means for providing different types of mounting for a device with support means and a projecting portion containing a temperature sensitive element, the mounting means comprising at least two members, a first of said members being generally flat and having a hole therein, a second of said members having a flat portion and a central raised portion having a hole therein, said members being adapted for selective assembly in a plurality of relationships to select the position of said projecting portion of the device relative to a surface on which it is to be mounted to provide a first mounting arrangement for the device with said first and second members in a first relationship with said second member underlying said first member with the raised portion of said second member protruding through the hole in said first member and with the support means of the device engaging said raised portion and the projecting portion of said device protruding through the holes in each of said members, and a second mounting arrangement for the device with said first and second members in a second relationship with said first member underlying said second member with the holes in said first and second members aligned and the support means engaging said raised portion of said second member and said projecting portion protruding through said hole in said second member in the direction of said first member.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said first of said members is singly adapted to mount the device to provide a third mounting arrangement for the device.

3. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said first member has two tabs on opposite sides of said hole therein and projecting at right angles to said first member, and said second member has two openings on opposite sides of said hole in said second member, said two openings receiving said tabs when said members are mounted in said second relationship, said tabs cooperating with the devicewhen said tabs are bent inward to hold said first and second members together and the device against said raised portion of said second member.

4. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said first member has means to be fastened to said second member and to hold the device in place against said second member with the sensitive element supported in the holes of said first and second members.

5. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said first and second members have means adapted to attach one or both of said members to apparatus having an opening substantially larger than the projecting portion of said device whereby one or both of said members provides a cover for a portion of the opening in the apparatus so that when the device is mounted on the apparatus the opening therein is sealed off.

6. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein one of said first and second members has means for connecting said members together in the selected one of said relationships.

7. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said members are constructed so that each has an engaging surface and so that the underlying one thereof is adapted to engage the surface on which the device is to be mounted, said first mounting arrangement provides for the projection of the sensitive element down to said engaging surface of said second member, and said second mounting arrangement provides for a space between said sensitive element and said engaging surface of said first member.

8. The combination set forth in claim 2 wherein the device is to be mounted on a surface containing a hole and said first, second and third mounting arrangements provide for the projecting portion being inserted into the hole of said surface as an insertion mounting, for the element being flush with said surface as a flush mounting and for the element being spaced from said surface as a standoff mounting, respectively.

9. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said first of said member has a raised portion to support said second member when said second mounting arrangement is used to mount the device.

16. The combination set forth in claim 8 wherein said first member has tabs on opposite sides of said hole, and said second member has openings on opposite sides of said hole for selectively receiving said tabs to fasten said device to said members.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 24,046 7/1955 Nathan 24827 XR 2,717,749 9/1955 Flora 24827 3,084,962 4/1963 Feuerbacher 24827 XR 3,236,548 2/1966 Manecke 287-20 ROY D. FRAZIER, Primary Examiner.

J. F. FOSS, Assistant Examiner. 

